Workshop Renovation Project

[goldeagle]

I have a 1930's extension on our house which was originally built as a small scale dairy, and more recently used as a workshop. I want to make it a bit more of a useable room as currently there are a number of problems with it - it is solid wall of only 6 inch, no heating, damp, condensation/mould over the walls, leaking roof, the concrete floor is knackered and big old wooden doors falling to pieces letting a draft in.

I am planning on renovating it and using it as a gym. The changes I plan to make include: blocking up the external doors, laying a new insulated concrete floor, batten, insulate and board walls and ceiling, new roof, extend central heating into the room and decorate.

Some pics below of progress to date:

1930's plan of the extension

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 2

Workshop as it was when we moved in

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 1

The old doors

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 1

Workshop cleared out

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 1

Workshop from the outside

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• goldeagle
• 25 Aug 2014
• 2

Old doors blocked up in Bathstone - I might try and age these artificially or try and jet wash the old stone to make the colours a bit more similar

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 1

Concrete floor taken up ready for a new floor

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• goldeagle
• 7 Sep 2014
• 1

Will post updates when I've made more progress - next job is to lay the new concrete floor

 

[goldeagle]

Started laying the hardcore (got 2 jumbo bags from MOT Type 1) and hired a compactor for the weekend. Planning to take the hardcore to the first stepped section, then a layer of sand blinding which will help level out the uneven stepped section ready for the DPM (1200 gauge) and then celotex insulation.

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• goldeagle
• 26 Sep 2014
• 1

 

[leeco]

Looking good.

 

[goldeagle]

Finished laying and compacting 100mm of hardcore. Put down the sand blinding, no idea how people can get it flat and flush - spent about 4 hours getting it flat and level with a piece of timber and spirit level but the moment I got the compactor on it made a mess of things.

Wouldn't have worred if it was just concrete going on top but the insulation boards need a good level surface to support them. There were still bumps and dips everywhere but hopefully it is level enough to not cause any problems. Put down a 1200 gauge DPM and some Celotex insulation boards.

Next job is to take the plaster off the walls so that I can get to the DPC in the walls and join it with the DPM. Concrete probably won't be done for a couple of weeks yet.

Sand Blinding complete

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• goldeagle
• 28 Sep 2014
• 1

DPM down

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• goldeagle
• 28 Sep 2014
• 1

Insulation being put down

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• goldeagle
• 28 Sep 2014
• 1

 

[goldeagle]

Slowly making progress...

All insulation down plus upstands around the perimeter

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• goldeagle
• 21 Oct 2014
• 1

Another layer of DPM down as a VPL

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• goldeagle
• 21 Oct 2014
• 1

Planks down ready for pouring concrete

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• goldeagle
• 21 Oct 2014
• 1

Should have already laid the floor but had some problems with the gravel supplied for the concrete which appeared to be ungraded. Plan on mixing a 1:2:4 mix using cement, sharp sand and 20mm gravel.

As I don't think I will get a perfectly level finish on the slab. I intend to use some self-levelling compound afterwards to get it all level before putting down flooring.

 

[MR M - DT]

Looks great. I did the same thing, apart from the insulation , for my shed.

How thick are you going? I did 100mm and used rebar mesh.